The basic price, which has remained at the same level since 1994, is not a world price or threshold price but a hypothetical price, the main purpose of which is to provide a basis for the calculation of the premium.

An increase in oil prices has been underway over the past few months in anticipation of a possible conflict: this increase has continued in spite of a decrease in the basic price per barrel declared by OPEC, a clear indication, if one was needed, of the strong role of speculation on prices.

In addition to the basic price derived from the intervention price for white sugar, undertakings' receipts from sales of molasses, which can be estimated at EUR 7,61 per 100 kg derived from the price of molasses estimated at EUR 8,21 per 100 kg, as well as the cost incurred in processing and delivering beet to factories, and on the basis of a yield which for the Community can be estimated at 130 kg of white sugar per tonne of standard-quality beet, minimum prices should therefore be fixed for A beet intended for processing into A sugar and for B beet intended for processing into B sugar, to be paid by sugar manufactu ...[+++]rers buying beet.

- in the case of molasses, is higher than the price of molasses used to calculate revenue from sales of molasses by sugar manufacturers for the purposes of fixing the basic price for beet for the marketing year concerned.

(a) the price of molasses used to calculate revenue from sales of molasses by sugar manufacturers for the purpose of fixing the basic price for beet for the marketing year concerned.

In addition to the basic price derived from the intervention price for white sugar and fixed values representing the processing margin, the yield, undertakings' receipts from sales of molasses and, where applicable, the cost incurred in delivering beet to undertakings, minimum prices should therefore be fixed for A beet intended for processing into A sugar and for B beet intended for processing into B sugar, to be paid by sugar manufacturers buying beet.